1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an intake and exhaust flow improvement device for internal combustion engines and in particular to such a device in which the intake and exhaust flows are improved without the use of engine-driven moving parts.
2. Discussion of the Technical Problems
Internal combustion engines suffer from a phenomenon in which the gases, including air-fuel mixture, being ingested into the engine in the intake side as well as exhaust gases being exited the engine, do not move into the engine and away from the engine in constant flow patterns. The design of internal combustion engines has necessitated that intake and exhaust valves are opened and closed at different times so that intake flows as well as exhaust flows are abruptly stopped and in some cases reversed.
It has been noted that an adverse process known as reversion has occurred in internal combustion engines where the exhaust from combustion dilutes the incoming air-fuel charge, thus reducing the combustion potential. The reversion takes place when back pressure resistance imposed by an exhaust system causes the byproduct of combustion to flow in reverse through the intake system when valve overlap occurs. This period of overlap when the exhaust valve is still closing and the intake is already beginning to open varies, depending on the engine design. Reversion robs the engine of horsepower. Due to valve overlap and other design problems with internal combustion engines, the air-fuel mixture can in some cases actually reverse and instead of flowing in a direction toward the engine when demanded by the engine, would be flowing instead away from the engine, thus diluting the charge available within the engine. Such a counterflow reduces engine performance considerably.
In order to limit the problem of counterflows and the dilution effect of having exhaust gases mingle with intake gas mixtures, a system employing reed valves has been utilized. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,145 to Boyesen issued Oct. 2, 1984. The Boyesen reference also discloses the use of certain shapes within the flow passage upstream of the reed valves to affect the flow of the fuel-air mixture into the engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,600 to Feuleng issued June 10, 1986 discloses the use of overlapping converging conical pipes to provide additional scavenging of exhaust gases at high piston speeds. The Feuleng patent relies upon a venturi principle to increase the velocity of the exhaust gases in order to enhance the scavenging effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,277 to Goto et al. issued June 13, 1978 discloses an intake valve mechanism for preventing backflow of exhaust gases which utilizes a separate backflow valve.
While the prior art devices disclose the existence of the problem of having counterflow, reversion and intake exhaust mingling in internal combustion engines, they generally approach the problem through the use of moving parts such as having additional valves or by relyiing upon a venturi effect to further increase the velocity of the gases.
Instead of relying upon additional mechanical valves which serve to extract energy from the engine, it would be desirable to have a device which would improve upon both intake and exhaust flows while maintaining those flows in a constant direction to obtain the desired effects upon the engine by having the flows continue in one direction while not being dependent upon exacting an energy cost from the engine itself. The instant invention is directed toward such a device.
No known examples of intake or exhaust devices have been discovered which teach maintaining exhaust and intake flows in a constant direction by use of specially designed chambers and flow circuits.
Such a device, when fitted on an engine, should in essence provide increased engine efficiency by having a more precise fuel/air mixture available on the intake side of the engine while still removing the exhaust gasses in an efficient manner. By employing such a device, the engine thus runs at cooler operating temperatures, runs cleaner, and develops more power. Such a device would allow an engine to employ a smaller or larger carburetor or fuel injection jets and be easily adapted to existing engines without taking energy from the engine to operate the device.
Accordingly, a need exists for an intake and exhaust flow improvement device for internal combustion engines that would provide a safe, convenient, simple, inexpensive apparatus that could be attached to the intake manifold as well as the exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine that would improve the efficiency of the engine. Such a device should be uncomplicated in design, easily installed into existing engines, easily repaired, not subject to damage by proper use, and simple to manufacture. The instant invention is directed to all of these needs as well as to others as explained in the following summary.